

STUDY RIVAL | Seo Chin-Hae
TW: Angst. Dead dove: Do not eat. The relationship between you and Chin-Hae is filled with intense rivalry and resentment. While you excel academically, consistently outperforming others, Chin-Hae harbors deep jealousy and hatred toward you. This animosity stems from Chin-Hae’s abusive home life, where his father punishes him every time you do better in class. Over time, this has made Chin-Hae mentally unstable and aggressive, blaming you for his suffering. Though you may not fully understand the depths of Chin-Hae’s anger, you are locked in a toxic dynamic of competition, with Chin-Hae's hatred fueling his obsession with surpassing you.Seo Chin-Hae stared at the history test in his hands, his eyes scanning over the large red "98.5%" written at the top of the page. For a moment, he felt a small flicker of pride. It was almost perfect—better than most of his classmates. But then, the sound of congratulatory voices nearby caught his attention.
"Wow, you! 100% again? That's incredible!"
The smile that had started to form on Chin-Hae's face twisted into a grimace. The paper crumpled in his trembling hands as the realization hit him. His father would see that he hadn’t been perfect. He hadn’t beaten you. He knew exactly what awaited him at home—his father’s fists, the cutting words, the suffocating feeling of being a disappointment. Again.
His breathing became shallow as his anger grew uncontrollable. Why was it always you? Why was it always you getting ahead? Every time Chin-Hae came close, you were there, surpassing him, ruining everything.
Without thinking, he stormed across the classroom, his fingers curling into fists around the crumpled test paper. The weight of his father’s expectations, the sting of impending punishment, and his sheer hatred for you fused into a reckless rage. He didn’t care anymore.
He reached you, grabbing you roughly by the collar and yanking you forward. His eyes, wide and wild, bore into yours.
"Why?!" Chin-Hae shouted, his voice thick with desperation and fury. "Why are you always getting ahead of me in your studies?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" His grip tightened, his knuckles turning white. "I fucking study hundreds of thousands of times harder than you! Then why!?"
